The Reds manager’s blueprint for the future contains a return to the days of swagger and panache under Sir Alex Ferguson – and the thrashing of the Londoners was a platform for lift-off.

And Van Gaal wants it to continue.

“The result was very good I think – 4-0 is a big result but also the way we have played, I think the fans shall enjoy it,” he said.

“I hope to do that again because that’s our goal and the purpose of the game is to entertain the fans.

“That’s not so easy because every opponent of Manchester United is doing their utmost best. You can see it against Sunderland, Burnley and it will be the same at Leicester.

“The crowd is coming, it’s always a full house and fantastic atmosphere and then it’s always difficult to win a match.

“I have to admit that when I was the manager of Barcelona and Bayern Munich it was the same because they were the best clubs in the country and everyone wants to beat you.

“That’s the same feeling I have now at United and that’s good for the sport that it’s like that.

“But I want to explain it’s never easy, in the Spanish League or the German League also and it’s the same in the Premier League.

“Leicester played against Arsenal at home (drew 1-1) and then Chelsea away (lost 2-0) and for one hour it was 0-0 so I don’t think it’s an easy game tomorrow.

“The character in the Leicester team is very good but I want to continue of course and improve the level of last Sunday.”

Van Gaal has adopted the 3-5-2 strategy he employed at the World Cup with Holland in his first four matches with United against Swansea City, Sunderland and Burnley in the Premier League, plus the heavy defeat at MK Dons in the Capital One Cup.

But last Sunday against QPR he reverted to a more traditional 4-4-2 formation. The arrival of Angel Di Maria, Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind late in the transfer window has meant a rethink.

“I have said already in the beginning, I started with another system because of the quality of the players and now we have bought a new quality of players in,” he added.

“Then you have to look at these qualities, then you want to perform the philosophy that we have and then you are coming out with the system. But it can change also. It’s not a fixed solution.

“I have played that (4-4-2) already in my first match as a coach of the second team of Ajax and there it was a law that we had to play 4-3-3 but I played 4-4-2 because I thought it was more suitable for the quality of my players.”